Cable or track controlled airship.



c. L. JOHNSON.

OABLL' 0B TBAOK CONTROLLED AIBSHIP.

APPLIOATIOI FILED D3018, 1910.

989,156. Patented Apr. 11, 1911;

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CHARLEY L. JOHNSON, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

CABLE OR TRACK CONTROLLED AIRSHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed December 28, 1910. Serial No. 599,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CIIARLEY L. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cableor Track Controlled Air-ships, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to aerial. or scenic railway apparatus for captiveself-propelled 'airships for amusement purposes, and the objects are,first, to provide a simple, economically constructed and safe amusementdevice; second, to provide means for substantially controlling andguiding self-propelled airships ofdifferent kinds and classes.

WVith these andother objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter describedin detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters ofreference thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In thedrawings, Figure l is a plan view showing the track and an airshipin connection therewith, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, Fig.3 is a detail view, showing the construction of the extended arm andtracks in connection therewith and the carriage mounted thereon, andFig. 4 shows the track and supports in a slightly modified form in whichtwo supports are used instead of one.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings numeral 1 represents a self-propelled airship, 2 acarriage, 3 an endless track, 4 supports of cable or track.

The airship is self propelled and guided, it being provided with anengine 1 in con nection with the propeller 1 and is also provided withfront and rear guide planes 1 and 1. This airship is supported centrallyby means of support 2 which is connected to an axle 2 which is suitablymounted upon flanged rollers 2. Some distance below rollers 2 isprovided a guard 2. This guard is for the purpose of keeping thecarriage 2 from escaping from the track in case the airship should rise,or from any other cause.

The rollers 2 are adapted to roll on track 3 which in this case I haveshown to be an endless cable, but if desired, this track may be used ina .line from one point to another, and the airship be run back and forththereon. This track 3 is connected to extended arms f. These arms areextended laterally from the vertical portion of support 4, a sufficientdistance to provide a space for the free passage of the airship and areshaped and connected to the track as shown best in Fig. 3. In Fig. I areshown similar supports used in pairs, one on each side of the tracks andone track attached to each support. These supports in pairs are alsoprovided with turnbuckle adjustable cables 4, l, and 4, adapted tosubstantially brace said supports.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction andarrangement in connection with an aeroplane, I do not wish to be limitedto this particular construction, and arrangement or to the use ofaeroplanes in connection therewith, but desire to embody in theinvention, the construction, combination and arrangement substantiallyas set forth in the appended claims,

It will be readily seen that I have pro vided a simple and easilyconstructed amusement device or scenic railway that is perfectly safefor carrying passengers, is durable and easily operated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a cable or track controlled air ship,the combination of a plurality of supports, arms mounted thereon, tracksmounted on said arms, a pair of rollers with grooved surfaces mounted onan axle adapted to travel on said tracks, guard means for preventingsaid rollers from escaping from said track, an air ship suspended onsaid rollers, engine means in said airship for propelling it and meanson said airship for steering it, all substantially as set forth.

2. In a cable or track controlled air ship, the combination of aplurality of supports provided with laterally extending arms, aplurality of cables mounted on said arms, a power propelled airshipmounted on said cables, guard means for preventing said air ship fromescaping from said cables, planes on said air ship adapted for guidingit, and propellers on said air ship adapted to be driven by a powermeans. located in said airship, all substantially as set forth.

3. In a cable or track controlled amusement device, the combination of aplurality of posts suitably spaced apart, lateral arms on said postsextendin some distance there'- from, tracks mounted on the extended endsof said arms, a pair of rollers With grooved surfaces mounted on an axleand adapted to travel on said tracks, a supporting means attached tosaid axle, an air ship mounted on said supporting means, engine means insaid air ship, propellers on said airship adapted to be driven by saidengine means and to propel said airship along said cables. or tracks,means for steering and guiding said air ship, and a guard means forpreventing said rollers from escaping from said tracks, allsubstantially as set forth.

4. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a plurality ofsupports provided with laterally extending arms, tWo spaced apartparallel horizontal tracks or cables mounted on said extending arms, apair of grooved rollers mounted on an axle and adapted to travel on saidtracks or cables, a support attached to said axle between said rollersand adapted to be attached to an engine driven air ship, means forsteering said air ship, and planes adapted for guiding it, allsubstantially as set forth.

5. In a cable or track controlled air ship, the combination of aplurality of supports, lateral arms on one side of said supportsextending some distance therefrom, a portion of said arms forming aninverted U, then bent at right angles, and extending up- Ward, cablesmounted on the extended ends of said arms, a pair of rollers mounted onan axle and adapted to travel on said cables, a supporting meansattached to said axle, a self propelled airship mounted on saidsupporting means, means in connection With said airship for guidingsame, and guard means for preventing said rollers from escaping fromsaid cables, all substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses,

CHARLEY L. JOHNSON.

Vitnesses ABRAM B. BOWMAN, MARY A. BOWMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

